Merger Talk Lifts Shares

BRIEFCASE

April 2, 1997

CompuServe Corp. shares rose $1.14 to $11, and America Online Inc. shares jumped $3.25 to $45.75 after a research company said AOL might make an offer for rival online service CompuServe. Both companies would not comment on the speculation. Wall Street Strategies, an independent securities research company based in New York, said CompuServe's share price is ''depressed.''